Cooper Graves
by instilation00
Summary: Set some time after Sly 2. Sly prepares for the hardest day of the year for him, but things get complicated with Carmlita get involved. Suspended and unable to legaly arrest him, Carmelita makes every effort to watch Sly and find out what he's up to, but will she be able to handle the truth when she learns what he's up to?
1. A day in town

**Welcome and thank you for being here. This was originally going to be a one-off but I decided I wanted to go more in-depth with it so it will be a few chapters. I don't want to make them to long or spend to much time on this story but I had the idea for a while and decided to put some effort into making it. Please let me know what you guys think and thanks for reading.**

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Dusk began to fall over the city of Paris. The shops began to close, people were going home for the night, and Sly was prowling the rooftops. Last week had been a huge success. Not only had he and the gang been able to steal all twelve of the royal jewels in one night, but they also were able to 'help' take down the corrupt museum owner who had originally stolen the jewels in the first place. Each one was worth thousands, and Bentley was able to find a buyer who not only paid well, but also made sure the gems returned to there rightful owners. Yep, it had been a great success, and Sly decided to take the next few weeks off to just have some time for himself.

Well, himself wasn't entirely true. Despite there success, Carmelita had been hot on his tail, and there were more than a few close calls than he liked. She was getting better, and while that wasn't a bad thing necessarily, he knew that it meant he would need to be more careful and prepared from now on. Taking a few weeks off would not only give him time to relax for once, but also give Carmelita a chance to unwind. He knew she needed it, and he also hoped that if she wasn't constantly trying to catch him then she wouldn't be as vigorous or determined in the future.

Sly perched himself atop a high ledge that overlooked a large part of the city. One of the best things about Paris were the lights. He never got bored of seeing the city illuminated, it was really unlike anywhere else in the world. As he sat there, a thought began to nag him. He didn't want to think about it, not yet at least, but he knew it was only a few days away. Maybe tomorrow he would throw on one of his disguises and go shopping in town. Flowers were a must, maybe one of their expensive long-lasting candles to. He shook his head and forced himself to focus on something else. He took in a deep breath before leaping from the ledge and disappearing into the night.

* * *

Carmelita left the office with her head hung low and a frown on her face. One again she got chewed out by her boss for failing to catch Cooper. She tried explaining how close she was to getting him this last time, but Barkley didn't want to hear any of it. Barkley would never fire her, but he was forced to put her on a week's suspension. She tried desperately to argue with him about it but his word was final. Carmelita begrudgingly gathered her things and made her way to her car, slamming the trunk down hard after throwing her belonging inside. She climbed into the driver seat and proceeded to pound her head on the steering wheel. She was so sick and tired of this. Whenever she got close, Sly always managed to slip away. There had been so many opportunities, like after ClockWerk's defeat, or even when she had him cuffed in the police helicopter. Every single time he somehow managed to slip away, and it was beginning to drive her insane. Was he just toying with her? Was he trying to make her life hell? She hated him, so much that every time she thought about him it made her want to break something. Why, why, WHY could she never catch him…and why on so many occasions did she let him get away?! It's not like she meant to, but whenever the time came when she actually had him, and could finally lock him up for good, she always seemed to let him slip away.

Whatever. She took a deep breath and started her car. It didn't matter; she was tired and she needed sleep. She backed her car up and drove out of the parking garage and went straight home. She didn't even bother to change when she got home; she just took her shoes off and passed out on her bed. Maybe tomorrow would be better. She could go into town get something to eat, maybe see a movie, just something to get her mind off work and to just relax. As sleep caught a hold of her, a faint smile crept on her face. She needed a break from it all. Maybe this was her chance to finally have some me-time.

* * *

Sly strolled into the busy business streets like he owned the place. He wore a simple getup; some nice blue jeans, a black T-shirt, and a pair of fresh, white sneakers. The streets were packed with people, both workers and customers. Interns running to coffee shops, important business men on there phones, children running while their parents tried to catch them. Yep, this was Paris, best city on earth. Sly strolled on through the market and took a look at all the good food. He should get the guys something nice, maybe a big steak, or fish! To many choices, to many for a multi-millionaire raccoon who made his living sneaking around in the dark and busting bad guys. He'd come back later, after he got the rest of the things on his list, coffee being the first. For now, Sly just kept on walking, having the rare feeling of being 'normal'.

One of the things Carmelita hated about Paris was the crowds. There were just so many people crammed into such small spaces. Trying to get through the crowds was like trying to get through an ever-changing maze. Finally, after almost knocking a woman to the floor, Carmelita finally found the place she so desperately needed. Blake's coffee was a locally owned store that, in Carmelita's correct opinion, served the best coffee in all of Paris. The lines were worth the wait, and after ordering her normal, which was just straight black, she took a seat by the window and pulled out todays paper. The front story instantly made her blood boil.

 _ **Royal jewels stolen by notorious Sly Cooper.**_

The fuzzy image of a silhouette Raccoon only added insult to injury. She had him RIGHT in her sights, right up until the chandelier had fallen. If she had just been a second sooner she could have tazzed the raccoons ass and finally bring his crime spree to an end. Of course, as always, he managed to get away, giving her some wise-ass flirt before slithering off into the darkness. Oh the things she would do once she caught him! She would made sure he had SCARS to remember what he had put her through. She'd rack his skull so hard he'd have to have surgery just to walk again. AHG it was infuriating…but she needed to just take a breath. Right now she was on suspension and couldn't do anything, end of discussion. For now she just needed to focus on herself and try not to burst a blood vain. She set the paper down and took a sip of her drink, calming down instantly as the warm liquid slinked down her throat. Today was for her, she just needed to try and enjoy it.

Sly tapped his foot while he waited impatiently. He loved the crowds but waiting in line was a nightmare. He knew he should have just gotten some cheap Starbucks. Blake's was good but nothing to die over. He rolled his eyes at seeing the old woman at the counter trying to find enough pennies to pay for her drink. There were still four people in front of him! By the time he was able to order it would be lunch! Another agonizing five minutes went by before Sly finally got to the counter. The boxer behind the desk was friendly and wrote down Sly's order. Café Mocha with two cups of milk and whip cream on top. The total was a whopping $13.47, but Sly was in a spoiling mood. Sly walked off and took a seat by the window, starring out at passerby's and taking no notice to anyone in the store.

"Café Mocha for Steven Copper!"

Carmelita's ears instantly perked up. That had been the name Sly had used when he pretended to be a reporter to get into a museum in Germany two months ago. She looked around the crowded store with eyes wide and looked to see who was getting the drink. Sure enough a Raccoon ended up walking to the counter and grabbing the beverage. He wore a pair of blue jeans and a T-shirt, and at a first glance looked nothing like Sly. Then she noticed his tail and face patterns and she knew instantly it was him. There he was, Sly Cooper, international thief in the same coffee shop as she was. She kept her gazed locked on him the entire time until he tuned toward her direction. Instantly she picked up the paper and held it up to cover her face. Hopefully he hadn't seen her, it would make arresting him so much easier, and more enjoyable. She peered over the brim of the paper and spotted him sitting just three seats from her. His view was strictly pointed out the window, and he obviously hadn't seen her.

Her heart began to race as she thought about what to do. Every fiber in her told her to pin him down and arrest him on the spot, but she knew she couldn't, not legally. She was suspended, and as such was unable to do any police work, including making arrests. Okay, so if she couldn't then she needed to call the police and have them get down here immediately. No, no way in hell was she letting that happen. She had been on Coopers case for to long to let some random rookie take down HER thief. Okay, so she couldn't arrest him and she wasn't going to let someone else do it, so what could she do? Her thoughts were quickly cut short as she watched him get up and make his way out the door. No, she couldn't lose him! She dropped the paper and bolted out the door after him, completely forgetting her coffee back in the shop. Once outside Carmelita saw him walking down the street into town. The best thing she could do was follow him, see where he went, maybe even find out something. She made sure to keep her distance but never took her eyes off him. This was a once in a lifetime chance and she wasn't about to let him slip away this time.

Uhg, they hadn't even added the right milk, let alone nearly enough. Sly threw the half-drunk coffee cup into the trash and moved on. Well his mouth now tasted like garbage so what did he need to do next? Sly thought where the nearest florist was and made his may down the streets of Paris. He kept his mind adrift, thinking about future heists they had plan, things they were going to steal, new flirts he could throw at Carmelita. Anything to keep his mind busy and off what he really was feeling. After a short walk he made it to a small shop on the corner of the street. _Paris Floral_ was a nice little shop, a little spendy but it wasn't like he was striped for cash. He stepped inside the shop and browsed the many bokay's that were on display. He didn't need a whole bunch; half a dozen would do. He liked white, so he settled for a small vase of lilies. He thanked the owner and paid before leaving the store and planning his next stop.

Carmelita had been waiting outside the shop like a hawk waiting for its prey. Her heart skipped a beat when he walked out and she quickly moved behind and away from Sly. She was just feet away from him, and if he turned around now he would definitely notice her. She held her breath waiting for him to turn but instead listened to him mumble to himself.

"Should I get a candle at all?...Nah it's fine, these should be good. I need to make sure Murray puts gas in the van tomorrow…"

Carmelita waited as still as stone and slowly breathed out as Sly walked away. As nerve-racking as that was at least now she knew a bit. Flowers? Candles? Were these things for their next heist? She wasn't sure, but she would be sure to be on the look out for those lilies once she went back to work. She waited until he was a good distance away before following him again. If she kept this up she might even be able to find out where his hideout was! That would make Barkley instantly put her back on as well as sending every Interpol agent in Paris to their hideout. This could turn out to be the best day of her life, just so long as she played it cool.

* * *

After returning to the market and grabbing a large steak for dinner, Sly began to make his way back home. There was no way he was going to be able to go along the rooftops, so he was forced to follow the roads that lead toward the outskirts of town. This afternoon had been good, he got the things he needed for the next few days and now he could go home and play some video games with Murray. Speaking of, Sly's phone began to ring. When not on a heist, Sly had a personal flip phone that he would take whenever he wasn't on the job. Holding the vase in one hand and the steak under his armpit, Sly reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone and saw it was Bentley.

"Hey Bentley, what's up?"

"SLY! You're not going to believe this! The Norwegian Ruby is coming to Paris next week!"

"Wow hey that's great. I'm a couple blocks from home. You can fill me in when I get back."

"No Sly, there's more and I can't wait!"

"Uhg fine, give me a sec."

Sly pulled the falling steak back up into his arm before taking a left down a back alley. The sides of the walls were smooth brick and it ended only after a couple feet in. He set his things down on the side of the wall before getting back to Bentley.

"Alright bud, tell me what's going on."

Carmelita waited a few seconds to debate her options. She was out of the main part of town, and currently there was no one else walking around. Right now she was in a good spot to keep following Sly, and potentially discover his safehouse. However, the temptation to catch him here and now was just too overwhelming. She could say he attacked her, or tried to kidnap her, people would buy it. She could say it was self-defense, call up Barkley after kicking that raccoons' ass and say he jumped her and that she fought him off. A part of her knew it wasn't the smart thing to do but she had waited to long to pass up this opportunity. This was it, she had him now. He had no cane, no tricks, no way of escape. She really hoped he didn't just give up, that would sap all the joy out of her arrest. She wanted to have a good fight, show him how much stronger and capable she was then him. This was it, time to catch Cooper once and for all.

"…and if we can get in right after it leaves the airport we can get it to the buyers that'll give is ten-times what anyone else is offering. It's a goldmine!"

"Alright alight, you got me hooked. Keep monitoring the flight and tell Murray to get the tow cable ready. We'll need to act fast, but I think we can do it. Alright I see you guys in a bit."

Sly closed the phone and stood for a minute with a huge grin on his face. This heist was going to be big and beautiful, and a good slap in the face to the greedy prime minister. Sly was going to need to make sure his paraglide was ready, but aside from that he was golden. There'd be a lot more to discuss in a bit, but right now the steak was beginning to thaw and he needed to get home. Sly turned around to exit the ally but was stopped by a surprising, yet all to familiar, Inspector Carmelita Fox.

"Hello Ringtail."


	2. An unpleasent encounter

**Not much to say here other than I hope pople enjoy so far. Since I'm making these chapters shorter than my main story I should be quicker on updates. As always please enjoy and thanks for reading.**

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For one of the first times in his life Sly was completely caught of guard. I mean, how couldn't he be, this was completely unexpected. Sly starred at Carmelita like a deer in headlights, unable to move out of pure shock. His mind became abuzz with questions: what was happening? Why was she here? What was going to happen? What about him? What was he going to do? How could he get away? Sly was, mentally at least, completely trapped and right where the Inspector wanted him.

"I'm going to say this once Cooper. Put. Your. Hands. Up."

Carmelita had a fire in her tone, and while she kept herself composed and serious on the inside, inside she was going through every possible scenario and how she could act accordingly. Sly was alone, without his cane, trapped between three smooth walls and she blocked the only exit. There wasn't any place for him to run or hide and she would be damned if she would let him slip past her without a fight. It was perfect, and all the while she starred at him with glaring, yet triumphed eyes.

Sly blinked a few times and snapped out of his trance. Okay, so this was really happening and not some kind of dream. The first thing he noticed was what was missing from this equation. First off, Carmelita wasn't pointing her shock pistol at him, which was an immediate red flag. The second, yet subtle detail was that she wasn't wearing her choker-badge necklace. Okay, so no pistol and no badge. That's when it dawned on him, she wasn't on duty! After taking a quick second to reanalyze and make sure he was correct, Sly produced coy smirk.

"Ms. Fox. I hope you believe me when I say this is a complete surprise."

"That was the idea Ringtail, now give up before I have to hurt you."

Sly's smirk only grew as he bit the inside of his cheek. He needed to be careful with his next move, but he was confident he had thing under control. Even so he had many of his ancestors' techniques to help him out, and in truth he knew he was in now real threat, but this was an opportunity he just couldn't pass up.

"Inspector, before anything gets out of hand, might I ask where you 'lovely' shock pistol is?"

Carmelita grit her teeth. Damn it, he was onto her. Every other encounter, EVERY time they were even remotely close to each other she had her pistol and badge. This was actually the first time she had been this close to him and not on the clock. Her bared her teeth and glared even more.

"I don't need it to take you down Cooper."

"Mhmm, I see…and what about your badge? Don't you need that to 'take me down'?"

Carmelita was silent, yet on the inside she was pissed. She had him in her grasp, one quick move and she could knock him to the ground and finally arrest his punk ass. Every instinct she had told her to rush him down while she had the advantage…but her black and white sense of morality kept her still. She knew she should, she knew she could, but she knew she wouldn't, not unless in self-defense. She was an officer of the law, one of Interpol's greatest agents. If she broke her code to take Cooper down now then all of it meant nothing. She said nothing but did not move. She starred down Sly with pure anger, which was only further fueled by his cocky attitude.

Sly was impressed, really he was. He honestly expected her to run at him, but she just stood there motionless. It was one of the things about her he both loved and hated. She was so fiery and persistent, yet that kept her from seeing the bigger picture. She was so set in her views of pure right and wrong that it made her both righteous and arrogant. He wished she could see the truth, but he knew that was probably never going to happen. As much as he wanted to make her try and understand, right now he needed to figure out what to do next. She wasn't going to let him leave, but she was keeping herself from arresting him. This put Sly in a very peculiar position. He darted from left to right. The walls were smooth, so smooth to try and climb and to tall to spire-jump. His only means of escape was right where Carmelita was. He took a minute to debate his options before slowly reaching down and picking up his things. Carmelita immediately tensed and got ready to move but stayed still and watched. Sly smiled after standing back up.

"Given the current situation Carmelita I don't believe you have any legal right to arrest me."

"Bullshit! You're not going anywhere Cooper!"

Sly took a caution step forward, all while starring directly at her. Carmelita tensed again but remained where she was.

"Actually, I am going. Tonight's game night and I need to beat Murray's high score."

He took another slow step, then another, and another until he was barely two feet away from her. The two were locked in an epic stare down. Carmelita would NOT let him go, not when she was this close. Her blood boiled at seeing his smirked face, she hated him for that most of all. He just kept up his smile and spoke.

"You know I think a vacation is exactly what you need. All work and no pla-OOF!"

Carmelita grabbed him by the collar and pushed him up against a wall. Sly was complete caught by surprise and could no nothing but stare at her. Her eyes were amaze with rage.

"I GOT SUSPENDED YOU BASTARD! BECAUSE OF YOU I CAN'T DO MY JOB! YOU'RE RUINING MY CAREER!"

Sly had never har her yell like this before. This wasn't just anger, this was pure hate and sadness. His ears laid flat against his head and he didn't move a muscle, genuinely scarred by what was happening. Just as quickly as her outburst had started Carmelita let him go and took a step back. The realization of what she had done hit her like a bag of bricks, and she was filled with regret. She stood and breathed in and out, in and out, trying to calm herself down. She finally let her muscles relax and she looked down. Sly, trying to understand what just happened, slowly pulled himself up straight and looked at her. God, was this really his fault? Of course it was, he knew that, and it made him feel sick. He often forgot how much his actions affected Carmelita, especially when it came to her job. He was the only criminal she had never been able to catch. He was the one ink stain on her perfect record, discrediting everything else she had accomplished. He felt terrible, both for Carmelita and at himself. Was he really ruining her career, her life? What could he do to make things better, aside from turning himself in? Sly took a deep breath and gulped before speaking.

"Carmelita I'm…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you…or want you to get suspended. I don't want to-"

"Why would you care?! Why do you care at all?!"

Carmelita's voice was clearly upset but she wasn't nearly as angry. She didn't even want to look at Sly, opting to look down the dark alleyway instead with her arms folded. Sly wanted to comfort her but he wasn't sure how, so he simply told the truth.

"Carmelita I've never wanted to hurt you. We might fight on different sides of the law but you're not my enemy. I've shown you that in the past, first with ClockWerk, then ClockLa. Why can't you see that?"

Carmelita turned and glared at him, though there was something else in her eyes, something changing.

"Just because we've teamed up don't change the facts. You're a criminal, a thief! You've broken countless laws and you need to pay for them!"

"You're right, I am a thief, and proud to be one. I steal from those who deserve it, never from innocent people."

"It doesn't matter WHO you steal from, it's against the law!"

"But that doesn't mean I'm wrong!"

The two just glared at each other. Nothing ticked Sly off more then being called the bad guy. Yeah he broke the law, yes he was a thief, but that did NOT make him the bad guy. He knew who the real bad guys were, and he made sure they paid for their crimes. The world was a much safer place thanks to him and his gang, but Carmelita refused to see that. Upset, angry and tired, Carmelita took a step back and pointed out to the street.

"Just go Cooper, I'm done arguing."

Sly just looked at her, then with a snort he grabbed his things and walked away. Three steps later and his frustration was instantly gone and was replaced by sadness. He hated everything that just happened. He shouldn't have provoked her and he shouldn't have gotten up set with her. He turned back to see her looking away from him and remaining silent. Sly sighed and spoke.

"Hey…you know where Maple Street is?"

Carmelita said nothing, but her ear twitched at his question, which told Sly she was listening.

"If you want to talk meet me at the firth house on the right at eight. It's the red one with white trimming."

Carmelita turned and snarled.

"Is that where your hideout it?!"

"No, it's just an abandoned house."

"I'll add Squatting to your list of crimes."

"Look if you want to come then good, if not, fine. I'll see you later."

Carmelita just watched as Sly turned and left. She could follow him, but she knew he wouldn't lead her back to his hideout, so it was pointless. Once he was gone she just looked forward before banging her head against the wall. God why was she so stupid! She just let him get away AGAIN! What was her problem?! She pounded her fist against her forehead and cursed to herself. When she was done she just leaned against the brick wall and breathed. A few minutes passed without any sound, with was both pleasant and frightening. At least she took in a slow, deep breath before rolling her hand through her hair. She pinched the brim of her nose in frustration before looking down at her watch. It was a quarter past one, just over five hours till eight. She already decided she wasn't going to call the cops, and since she couldn't do anything herself, might as well see what the raccoon was up to. Maybe she could get him to relieve something, or at the very least learn something new. Whatever, she didn't want to think about it right now. Her stomach grumbled and pulled her out of her thoughts. She hadn't even realized that she hadn't eaten at all today. She walked back out to the side walk and looked around. Sly was gone and she had no idea which way he went. She looked down the road and spotted a burger joint. A big juicy bacon burger sounded good right now, and it would help get her mind off the events that just happened. She would eat, go home, take a shower, change her clothes and drive to the location Sly said and get there before eight. It was going to be an interesting night, one that could potentially give the Inspector insight on something she had missed.


	3. Truths

**This chapter took a long time to write. Not because it was hard but because I'm lazy and didn't work on it for a long time, but I'm (hopfully) back and will try to get chapters out more quickly, same for my other Fanfics. Anyways, this one's pretty long compared to the last chapters but I felt it needed it. I like to give a lot of detail to characters and there actions so it really adds to the word count. Anyways, hope people enjoy and thanks for reading.**

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"Hmm, I guess this is it."

Carmelita hadn't been to this part of town in a while. It was one of the poorer parts, most of the homes were either abandoned or really run down. It was ten minutes to eight and there was no sign of Sly. Carmelita had scoped out the surrounding streets beforehand, but nothing eluded to the racoon's whereabouts. She had sat in her car for over ten minutes and just waited, thinking about everything that could happen in the next few minutes. The first was that this was all just some kind of prank and Sly wouldn't even show. She quickly struck that idea, she knew Sly to well. It wasn't like him just leave her out to dry. Another possibility was that this could be a trap. Once she was inside the house Sly or one of his friends would jump her and they'd use her as a ransom to get some priceless treasure. She stuck down that idea as well. Like Sly had said before, he had never directly hurt her or caused her any physical harm. He made her life a living hell to be sure, but he never once hurt or abused her physically. The third thought, and one she hated to admit was the most likely, was that Sly was serious and he really was waiting for her inside, and all he wanted to do was talk. But why? How would he know she wouldn't call the cops, or just bust him on the spot once she saw him? It was the same reason she knew none of her other thoughts were valid: she knew him, and he knew her.

"Alright Carmelita, keep it cool. Just because you can't arrest him doesn't mean he won't try anything. Be ready, he focused."

With one final deep breath the Inspector got out of her car and approached the run-down home. The front door was unlocked, but it looked like it hadn't been opened in years. With a firm push, and a loud scrapping sound, she made her way inside and closed the door behind her. The inside was pretty bad. Most of the walls were either in disarray or had all their insulation pulled out from them. There were hanging and exposed wires, and the floor was littered with dirt, woodchips, and nails. She grumbled to herself as she took careful steps around the debris, the biggest worry being impaling her foot on a nail. Once she was past the main entrance, she found a much larger room. It was a bit cleaner, and surprisingly housed a large couch and an old-school tube-TV. She wondered why looters or squatters hadn't taken these already, but she soon realized that the couch was to big to fit through the entrance and the TV legs were bolted to the floor. Carmelita then made her way to the center of the room and just stood for a moment.

"Where are you ringtail." Was her first thought. If he was here, he would have heard her come in, but so far, he wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"RINGTAIL!"

Silence. Her voice echoed through the house, which sent a shiver of creepiness up her spine. She waited, but still nothing. She let out an annoyed groan before gazing at the couch. Deciding that it wasn't half-bad and probably wouldn't kill her, the foxy vixen slowly took a seat, not leaning back and not wanting to touch more of it then she needed to. She waited, and soon one minute turned into three, and three into five. By the eighth minute she had her arms crossed, eyes glaring and foot tapping away relentlessly. Finally after ten minutes she had enough and stood up.

"UHG! Damn you Ringtail! I should've known this was a joke!"

Just then as she turned to leave, she came face first a blue shirt wearing, cane holding, smug faced and smiling raccoon. Instinctively Carmelita reached for her pistol, but quickly realized she didn't have it and slowly closed her trigger-happy hand. Sly, at seeing her initial reaction, let out a small chuckle.

"Sorry if I started you."

Carmelita just glared daggers at him before berating him.

"I bet you are. Where the hell have you been?! I've been waiting her for over ten minutes!"

Sly just smiled and held his hands up in defense.

"Again, sorry. I had some last-minute things I needed to take care of. I'm here now aren't I?"

Carmelita's eyes twitched in annoyance and she yelled at him again, though strangely her anger began to slowly subside as the conversation/argument went on.

"That's no excuse ringtail! When you give a time to meet, I expect you to be there ON TIME!"

Sly again gave out a little laugh, having expected things to go worse than they actually were.

"You're right, I should have been here when I said. My apologies Inspector, I promise it won't happen again."

Sly gave a quick tip of his hat to show his earnest, though his gesture failed to appease Carmelita. The fiery vixen simple huffed in annoyance before taking a seat back on the couch. Sly went to take a seat next to her but was quickly stopped.

"You can sit on the floor, right there."

Carmelita pointed to a spot a few feet directly in front of her. Sly simply chuckled before following her command and taking a seat on the dusty floor. He laid his cane down beside him and sat crisscross-applesauce and starred up, smiling as always, at the lovely inspector. Carmelita just glared down at him were her arms crossed and a frown on her face.

"Alright Ringtail, let's get this over with. Tell me why you wanted me here tonight, and don't even think about trying anything. I might be off duty, but I can still kick your ass if you make me."

Sly loved how irked he could make her even when he hadn't done a single thing. Whenever she was angry or impatient she did this cute thing were her nose that Sly just adored. He just gave her a warm smile and spoke in his usual upbeat and sarcastic tone.

"My dear Carmelita, there's no need to resort to violence. Can we not just both be civil for once?"

Sly…had a point, as much as she hated to admit it. So far he hadn't done anything besides be late, and that was hardly worth a beating. Still, he was a wanted criminal, and even though she was off duty it was her responsibility to make sure he was finally caught. Carmelita continued to stare at him with glaring eyes but allowed things to continue.

"Fine, just make it quick. Tell me what you want."

Sly's smile slightly fell. He had planned out exactly what he wanted to say, but now he was having trouble finding the words. Things could go very wrong very quick and he didn't want to mess this up. This might be the only chance for the two of them to actually talk, and there were a couple of things Sly wanted to know. Clearing his throat, Sly looked up at Carmelita and, in a slow and methodical tone, spoke.

"Well, Carmelita, as we both know, the past few years have been…interesting to say the least."

Already Carmelita was suspicious as to what was going on. She'd never heard Sly talk like this; there was an unsureness to his voice. She raised an eyebrow and listened intently.

"You've chased me around from one corner of the world to the next, and while it has been very enjoyable for me, there's something I need to know…"

Sly's voice was kind of shaky now and he kept looking around, not wanting to stare Carmelita in the eye. Now she was really curious, not expecting anything like this from him. She kept her eyes fixed on him, and after a moment of silence Sly finally stared back up at her and looked her dead in the eyes. His next words were very serious, with a hint of desperation.

"Why do you do it Carmelita, why chase me? I don't mean the obvious answer of 'you're a cop and I'm a thief', I mean really why? You could easily let others do it for you, but I've seen you time and time again stay up late at the office and pull your hair out trying to find me or where my next theft will be. Not that I mind of course, but why are you so fixated on capturing me that you'll go to almost any lengths to do it. I just…I need to know. It is that you're just very dedicated to your job or am…am I just that much of a burden to you?"

There was definitely a hint of desperation in his voice, and a bit of regret it seemed toward the end. To say Carmelita was shocked would be a vast understatement. Here he was, Sly Cooper, the only criminal she had never been able to catch, sitting in front of her asking to know why she was so driven to arresting him. Well, why was she so invested? She hadn't ever really thought about it much, she just always knew that as an officer of the law it was her job to see criminals locked behind bars, and for the most part she had been successful in that regard. Every criminal, from Mugshot to the Contessa had found themselves locked away, every criminal but Sly. He was the one that always got away; the criminal who couldn't be caught. Sly was right, she could easily let others focus on the Cooper case while she focused on other crimes going on, but for some reason she never let anyone else take the case, and only rarely and begrudgingly letting other help her to no avail. The questioned still stood, and she was trying to come up with the answer. Carmelita just sat with her mouth slightly agape, and as the seconds slowly ticked on, the tension grew exponentially. Each second that passed made Sly's heart beat faster, and for one of the very few times in his life, Sly was nervous and unsure of what to do. A part of him wanted to leap out the window and never look back, but he forced himself to sit quietly and wait for a response. As Carmelita began to piece things together in her mind, her expression changed from one of shock to one of a hidden, internal rage. She clenched her teeth and fists and starred daggers into Sly's eyes, which quickly made him flatten his ears on his head. He knew what came next wasn't going to be good, and he wasn't sure if he was prepared for it.

"You want to know why I chase you Cooper? FINE, here's why! You are a thief, but more importantly you are a criminal. You have not only stolen things that don't belong to you, but you have broken dozens of other laws, including battery, assault, identity fraud, illegal boarder crossing, and countless others; but that's not why I chase you. I don't chase you because you've broken the law, or because you've stolen millions of dollars' worth of artifacts and jewels. I chase you Cooper, because you have the AUDACITY to think yourself the good guy, that somehow what you do isn't wrong. Just who in the hell do you think you are? Don't think for a second that just because you 'help' take down other criminals that it somehow makes you a hero. You're not a cop. You don't work in law enforcement, yet you infiltrate and trespass on places where you have no right to be. You don't have the clearance or permission of different counties and their governments to go and do whatever you please, and all you end up doing is looting the place and nearly killing hundreds of people in the process. You're NOT a hero Sly Cooper, you never will be. Your actions make you a criminal, and ALL criminals deserve to be put behind bars, and even if it takes me the rest of my life I will make sure that one day, you are caught and brought to justice."

By the end of her speech Carmelita was fuming, but held her head proud. She said all that needed to be said, even if deep down she knew that some of what she said wasn't true. Sly on the other hand looked to be on the verge of a mental breakdown. His heart had sunk, big time.

'Wow' he thought, 'so that's what she really thinks about me.'

Sly was hurt, in more ways than one. Not only was his ego and pride hurt, but his feelings were hurt as well. Sly knew full well who he was and what he did, but he never really grasped what it must look like to an outsider. Maybe Sly really was the bag guy. Maybe his self-centered thoughts of honor and justice were wrong, and maybe he really was causing more harm then good. For these few seconds that went by, Sly was completely and utterly defeated, until the realization hit him. No, he wasn't that bad guy, and he knew it. He knew what he did and why he did it and what it meant, and he'd be damned if he'd let anyone tell him otherwise, even Carmelita. Sly slowly raised to his feet, much to Carmelita's uneasiness, and now she had to look up at him. Sly, doing something he had never done before, starred down at Carmelita with rage filled eyes. When Carmelita saw his expression, her ears went flat, and for the first time she felt afraid of Sly, and her fear of him terrified her more. When Sly spoke, there was a deep seeded anger behind his voice, one that if he heard himself he would have been ashamed of.

"You're right Carmelita, you're god-damn right. I AM a criminal, and I'm proud to be one, but don't YOU for a second dare think that it makes me the bag guy! I have done so much; to help you, Interpol, THE WORLD! Me and my friends have single-handedly taken down some of the worlds most notorious and dangerous criminals, and what do we get in return?! We're forced to constantly hide and move from place to place so we don't all end up in jail, rotting away while the real criminals continue to roam free. You really think you could have taken down Mugshot, or Neyla, or CLOCKWERK without my help? How many times have I SAVED YOUR LIFE in the past two years? If not for me, you would have been dead, or a mindless slave of the Contessa. I may be a thief Carmelita, but I ONLY steal from other criminals, NEVER from the innocent. If being a thief and helping to take down REAL criminals makes me one to then I guess I am one, and that's something I can live with, but I am NOT the bad guy Carmelita, and you know damn well that I'm not! I've never seen myself as a hero, but I will never associate myself with those who harm innocent people, or who gain their wealth and power off of others work. I am a Cooper, and I guess that means more to me than it ever will to you!"

Sly breathed quickly through his nose, in and out, while his anger still lingered. As the seconds slowly ticked by the two just starred at each other. Carmelita was…well, something had changed. This wasn't the Sly Cooper she knew, the one she had chased all over the world, the one that always flirted with her and made her blush. No, this wasn't the Sly Cooper she knew, this was someone different, someone she didn't want to know. This was the Sly Cooper that actually made her doubt herself, doubt what she believed, if only for a brief moment. This Sly Cooper spoke with a deep sadness behind his voice, one she knew nothing about but may yet soon know. As she sat there, contemplating what had just happened, Sly was trying to make sense of the last few seconds. They were a blur at first, but as the realization of what he said hit him, he felt a great pain of regret. All at once his muscles ceased to be stiff and he suddenly grew very tired. His once anger and pain filled glare now showed a weariness, like he had just spent all his energy in one go. Once all his anger had passed his shoulders slouched and he brought his hands up to rub his eyes. Sly let out a deep sigh before pulling his hands away and starred back at Carmelita, regret filling his eyes.

"I'm sorry…I didn't…didn't mean for that to happen…"

Sly slowly reached down and picked up his cane from the floor.

"Sorry for wasting your time Carmelita…I'll just go."

Sly broke of his gaze with the fox and, quite pathetically, slumped his way toward the front door. Carmelita just wanted him, unsure of what to do or say. She was still at a loss for words, but she knew this needed to be fixed…somehow. She then did something so unexpected you'd swear she was a different fox.

"Cooper wait…"

Sly's ears perked and his turned back toward her. His thieving instincts kicked in which put him on high alert, and he just stared back at Carmelita with questioned eyes. Carmelita's heart was now beating hard, but it was also driving her next action.

"You don't…need to go…Come sit."

Carmelita patted the empty cushion next to her. Sly's eyes went wide and darted back and forth between her and the couch. His mouth hung open as if he were going to speak but he couldn't find the words. Carmelita just starred at him, a strange, different look in her eyes now. She was being serious, and sincere. A moment passed before Carmelita raised her eyebrows waiting for Sly to move. Her slight facial change was enough to snap Sly out of his trance, and he slowly made his way over and took a seat next to the Inspector. As he did Carmelita made sure to scoot herself as far back to the other end as she could, never keeping her eyes off Sly but doubting he would try anything. Once Sly was settled in he just looked forward for a few seconds, not daring to look at Carmelita. Finally, he turned his head and starred at her, both their hearts now beating hard and fast. Carmelita was the first to break the silence. She swallowed a wad of spit in her throat and spoke.

"…There's no reason we can't…be civil…"

Carmelita's mind screamed at her. What was she doing? Why was she trying to make things go on, after what just happened? Her mind saw the idiocrasy of what she was doing, but her heart saw something else. It told this was the right thing to do, even if she didn't understand why. Sly was still shocked by what Carmelita was doing, but he also noticed her stagger to find the words to say. He glanced over at her and immediately a smile appeared on his face. Beautiful Carmelita, the woman who chased and cursed him, and whom he secretly admired…even loved, sat next to him looking so cute and precious. Sly knew she wanted to say more but couldn't, so he decided it was his turn to try and make things right.

"Carmelita…"

His soft and soothing voice sent a shiver down her spine. She turned and locked gazes with him, starring into his large bronze eyes. Her gaze simply made Sly smile more.

"…Look, I'm sorry, alright? For everything. I didn't…I didn't mean to get angry…not like that at least. I-"

"No, I'm sorry…"

Carmelita's sudden interjection shocked them both, Carmelita most. She still didn't know why she was talking, but a part of her just kept pushing her on, finding words she couldn't find herself.

"…I'm sorry for what I said…it wasn't right. You're a criminal, don't get me wrong…but…that doesn't mean what you do is wrong."

Sly was in complete disbelief. Never did he ever thing he'd hear Carmelita say those words. A part of him wanted to embrace her, but his sane side kept him under control. He just starred into her lovely eyes and let her continue. Carmelita herself was shocked by what she said, even though she knew it was true. Deep down she didn't hate Sly, not really. She knew he was a noble, even honorable man who did what he did because it was right, even if the eyes of the law, and by extension her eyes, saw it as wrong. Now it was her turn to ask the question, one that had nagged her all these past years of chasing Sly. She starred back at him with a true earnest in her eyes.

"I need to know something Cooper. Why do YOU do it? Why steal from criminals, why help out the police? How much money have you thrown away because you return things rather than keeping them for yourself?"

Again the two just sat in silence and stared at each other. While Carmelita waited with pleading eyes, Sly tried his hardest, though failed, to keep a smile from forming. It was a genuine smile, one that brought some comfort to Carmelita despite her current mood.

"To be honest, probably many millions of dollars, if not more. Heh, you know, if I had kept some of them I bet I could have bought a nice island all to myself in the Caribbean. I'd call it, 'Cooper Island' and-"

The unamused look on Carmelita's face made Sly stop sort of finishing his sentence. He looked away and took in a deep breath, knowing he needed to take things more seriously, at least for now.

"I'm a Cooper Carmelita, and that really does mean something to me. I know to you and others it may seem that I'm 'wasting my talent' or 'making a stupid mistake', but I'm not, I know I'm not…"

Sly turned and looked at Carmelita. He spoke with a smile on his face but in truth tears began to swell, though he made sure to suppress them, as best as he could at least."

"I didn't get to know my father very long, but I learned from him what it means to be a Cooper. Cooper's have always been thieves, and we always will be. I steal from the bad guys Carmelita, ONLY the bad guys. It's just…what we do, I guess. There's not a whole lot more to it than that."

Well, she got her answer, even if it wasn't really what she was hoping for. To Sly's credit, everything he said was true, and really was that simple. The boggling thing was the simplicity of it; a thief who only steal from criminals. It sounds more like a concept for a video game than real life, yet the facts were what they are. Carmelita just didn't know how to feel. Her strict, law abiding side told her Cooper needed to be jailed, end of story…but her humane side told her that Sly was perhaps something the world needed…maybe something that she needed. Sly could tell this was a lot for her; something she needed to work out for herself. In truth, he accomplished more tonight then he ever though he'd be able to. Not only did the two of them get to talk without a gun pointed at him, but he had gotten to tell Carmelita his side of things, and maybe that was enough to help her understand. He wasn't trying to change her, not by any means, but he wanted her to at least know reason behind what he did. Besides, he still wanted to her be a cop. Who else would chase him relentlessly all around the world? Sly decided this was enough for one night.

"Hey, look, it's getting late. Why don't we call it a night eh?"

Carmelita was snapped out of her thoughts and starred at him. For a brief moment she wanted nothing more than to just stay here all night with him, but her Inspector-side came out instead, though unintentionally.

"What? And just let you walk away?"

She instantly regretted her words, but it was part of who she was, and Sly knew that. He just smiled and reached for his cane, never breaking eye contact with the lovely fox.

"I think we both know the answer to that Carmelita. Besides, do you really want go chase me all night through Paris?"

Damn that raccoon, and his smug smile. Alas, he was right again, and Carmelita simply sighed and looked away.

"Just go ringtail…I need to be alone right now."

Sly frowned, not liking to see Carmelita this way, but he knew when to give her space. He rose from his seat and gave a most polite bow.

"As you wish. Goodnight sweet Carmelita."

She didn't even acknowledge him, which made him feel even worse. Seeing there was nothing else he could do for her, he made his way toward the exit, but stopped right before leaving. A though entered his mind, one he'd never expected, but as the seconds grew on it nagged him more. Carmelita noticed Sly standing still and starred at him curiously. Several more seconds went by without any movement, and Carmelita had enough of it.

"Cooper?"

Sly turned to her, and in his eyes she saw a distinct uncertainty. Sly just looked at her, debating his options and what could happen, but ultimately deciding to take the risk.

"Carmelita…are you, doing anything tomorrow? Tomorrow night that is?"

Carmelita starred with an alarmed expression. Was he really asking her this? What this actually a date proposal? That's the first thought that went through her head, and while a small part of her leaped with excitement, the rest of her was very unsure of where this was going.

"Tomorrow…well, no, why?"

His body language began to make her question his true motives. She could tell he was uneasy, more so than he should have been. Sly's heart was beating hard, but he couldn't go back now.

"There's…something I want to show you…if you're okay with it."

Okay, this was definitely something else. If he was asking her on a date there's no way he would have been this weird about it. No this was something else…and she wasn't sure she felt comfortable about it. Still, her curiosity drove her on.

"Show me _what_ exactly?"

Sly took a hard gulp before speaking.

"I'd…rather not say…it's kind of personal."

Now she was really curious, enough so that she was even considering saying yes. She still eyed him with suspicion which he caught onto and quickly put to rest.

"It's not a trick, I promise."

There was a real plea in his voice, something that told Carmelita he was being legit. Despite what he gut told her, she felt that could perhaps be another opportunity to learn something about Cooper. That and it would give her a chance to talk more after she had time to collect her thoughts from tonight. Carmelita starred at him, and even gave him a half-hearted smile.

"Alright Ringtail, I'm in…for now at least."

Sly felt a great weight lift from his shoulders, though a new one also took it's place, but he'd deal with it later. For now things were going good, and he wanted to keep it that way.

"Alright…cool, yeah. I'll uh, pick you up tomorrow night then."

Carmelita raised a brow and smirked.

"Yeah, of course you alright know where I live. Since when do you drive Cooper? Have you even ever taken a driver's test?"

Sly just chuckled, happy to see Carmelita joking around with him.

"Hey, Murray's taught me how to drive a stick shift in our spare time. It took a long time and a couple of ruined light posts but I got the hang of it eventually."

Carmelita just rolled her eyes and giggled. Oh that sound, how it melted Sly's heart. A few seconds of silence passed before he cleared his throat.

"So uh, nine-o-clock sound good?"

'Hmm, pretty late' Carmelita thought. 'Wonder what he's hiding that's so important.'

"Sure Ringtail, nine it is, and DON'T be late."

Sly smiled and took a deep bow.

"As my lady commands. Goodnight Inspector."

And without another word, he as gone. Carmelita was left alone now with a lot to think about, but there was a warmth in his heart where there hadn't been any before. Tonight was rocky, to say the least, but it was good, even if it didn't last very long. Tomorrow would be a new day and a new adventure, and it would be a day Carmelita would never forget. She starred out the window the raccoon had leapt out from and saw it was very dark out now, and the stars shined overhead.

"Goodnight, Sly Cooper."


	4. Regrets

**It's been a while I know, and I'm sorry for such a long abstance. I won;t go into detail here but basicly I was so stuck trying to force myself to write more for my other Sly Cooper story Wolf Pack that I ended up not writing at all. Anyways looking back I realise I should have moved on from it sooner and worked on a story that was already much better and something more people carred about, which really does mean something when you're a first-time writer.**

 **Anyways, thank you were being patient and here's anaother chapter for Cooper Graves. I mean to make it longer but I decided to cut the second half and make it it's own chapter, because it'll be the chapter that this entire story is about. Again thank you for reading and forgive any mistakes. I wrote this chapter in about 90 minutes and only did a quick scan through before posting, because I just really needed to get it out there for you all to read. :)**

* * *

Tomorrow night refused to come any faster. After Carmelita left the abandoned home regret and anger filled her every thought. Once again she had him in her grasp and she let him slip away. Why did she let this go on-why did she torture herself like this? Despite thier conversation, the moment she was alone all she thought of was how good he was at manipulating her, and she _hated_ him for it. She hated herself more, being the one who actually kept falling for his tricks. She knew he was a criminal, he _had_ to be, right? Not just in title, but he _had_ to be the bad guy, if he wasn't then-then?!

Carmelita threw herself into her bed and let her body sink into the soft mattress. She knew, even as sleep pulled her into is embrace that Sly was good, _really_ good, like hero material good. She knew her two halves would forever fight-one part of her believe Sly was bad and one part seeing him as good. Her upbringing and her job gave her a clear definition of good and bad, but the real world didn't run on absolutes. She couldn't help but smile in those last moments of consciousness, anxiety and excitement dancing around at what tomorrow night would bring. Maybe…maybe this would be good, maybe _he_ would finally show her he was good, and maybe she would finally be able to see it.

Maybe…just maybe.

* * *

Sly fell into his bed and groaned. He was an idiot, the biggest idiot on the planet. What was he thinking? He should have left things good when he had the chance, not drag her into something this weird and hard for him. Why- _why_ did he ask her to come?! It seemed like a good idea at the time, hadn't it? Tears began to form, but he held them back. Not tonight he said, save them for tomorrow, where they belong. He didn't know why he thought this was a good idea, _this_ wasn't meant to be something he wanted her to see. She'd think it a trick, a grab at her emotions, and he HATED himself for it.

Or maybe-maybe that wasn't it at all. Maybe he just…didn't want to do it alone this year. He'd taken Murray and Bentley once, that's how they learned, but that was years ago and they knew that on _that_ day he needed to be alone. The guys never had what he had; their early years weren't the same as his. They respected him, and he found a strange peace in their understanding. This was something for him and him alone, and he wanted to, almost selfishly, keep it to himself. So why did he ask her to come?

Sleep pulled him and he couldn't resist, he just caved in with a sad nervous thought. He knew why he asked her, he just didn't want to admit it. The past year had been both amazing and terrifying. He'd saved his family's name from its plague, but he hadn't done it alone. He would explain it to her, and maybe she'd understand why he brought her, or maybe she wouldn't.

Maybe…just maybe.

* * *

The day was slow, _really_ slow, for both of them. Both woke up to early due to a restless sleep. Carmelita forced herself up to make coffee. Sly hid under the covers until the light burned through the sheets. Carmelita did a few chores and watched T.V. to keep her mind preoccupied. Sly sauntered down to the hideout's living room and watched the weather channel.

Carmelita's stomach was filled with butterflies the whole day. She gave up trying to see the bad in Sly (for now) and thought more about what he said to her last night. God he was right, and she was glad he was right. She was glad to know that Sly was more than she always believed. Sly was, for lack of a better description, good…and that was fine for now, it was enough.

She remembered that look in his eyes, and still she wondered what tonight would bring. Part of her hoped it was just a poorly done way of asking for a date, but she knew better. He would have been way smoother with something as trivial (to him of course) as asking her on a date. This was going to be something else, though what she couldn't begin to think of. Maybe he was going to show her something, maybe something he had stolen and give it to her. Hell, maybe he was going to turn himself in-THAT would explain the nervousness in his voice.

No, it was going to be something else, something she really had no clue about. She just hoped it wouldn't be something bad-something to make her forget about the real Sly Cooper and make her go back to seeing him as nothing more that a low life, conniving, thieving racoon!

* * *

"YOU WHAT?!"

Sly stopped poking his food and rested his face in his hands. Bentley let up quickly, knowing that one, he was being too loud, and two, that today was not the day to argue with Sly, but still. Bentley waited a few seconds, not _wanting_ to upset his friend more, but it was just ridiculous.

"Sly…I know today's not-you know…but are you serious? You asked _Carmelita_ to come with you?"

"Yep!" Sly groaned. "And she even said yes…how much of an idiot am I?" Sly didn't bring his face out of his hands, he was to ashamed and upset.

Sly's two best friends looked at each other with sad and worried expressions. They didn't want to say it, but this was a mistake, a _real_ mistake. Bentley would tolerate Sly's antics when it came to Carmelita, no matter how much it seemed to always complicate their plans, but this was something else entirely. Was Sly really so desperate to get Carmelita's attention that he'd ask her to come with him, _today_ of all days? Murray reached out to touch Sly but backed off and just spoke softly.

"Buddy, I know today's a rough day, and I know you really like that Inspector Lady, but you shouldn't bring her Sly, it's not a good idea."

Sly just shook his head in his hands and groaned even more with regret.

"I know- _godohgod_ do I know, what was I thinking? We left things on such a good foot and I thought-I thought…I don't know what I thought. I just…I don't know…"

His friends didn't know what to say, this wasn't a problem they'd ever thought they'd be facing. Bentley gulped, knowing what he had to say wasn't going to make Sly happy.

"You know Sly you could-umm-you could…not go ton-"

He never got to finish his sentence, not after he saw Sly's glaring eyes staring at him. As quickly as they appeared they were replaced by a tired sadness. He was just so overwhelmed. This year was so much different from the rest; so much better yet harder, and he just _had_ to throw Carmelita into the mix. All she was going to do was add to his stress, but he was such an idiot in the moment that he actually thought…well, maybe she could help him-help him through it this year. He should have asked them; his friends knew the weight today carried, and if he really wanted help then why didn't he ask them?

Sly just sighed and pushed his food away. It was to late now, might as well get it over with.

"Murray can you just…put gas in the van. I need to leave soon."

* * *

The sound of an engine coming closer then turning off make her heart race. It was nine-o-clock, or just about-right when Sly said he'd be there. She waited, not wanting to be weird and wait right by the door for him. A minute passed, then two, then five. Her heart still raced and she was tense; where was he? Had that just been the neighbor's car, was he being 'fashionably' late again? Was he not coming?! Damn him, this was all a joke, a filthy prank! That self-centered son of a BI-

There was a knock, well three knocks in a row. He heart stopped; she froze. A few seconds latter and there was another set of knocks. It was him. It was _him_! Her mind was racing as another set of knocks came. She breathed and calm down, if only barely, before slowly getting up.

"J-Just a minute."

She was breathing slow, in out-in out. She made her way towards the door and took in a deep breath before slowly turning the handle. She held her breath and looked at Sly. He was wearing his non-thieving day clothes: blue jeans, black shirt, white sneakers, along with a grey jacket to keep himself warm. He looked the same as the day in the café, but his eyes told a different story. He was nervous, but there was something else-shame? They just looked at each other for what felt like forever until Sly cleared his throat.

"You look nice."

Carmelita let herself breath. His voice was clearly someplace else, or maybe it was here but _he_ wanted to be someplace else. She shook her thoughts away and tried to study his emotion.

"Uh, thanks. You look…good."

"Thanks."

He was standing straight, but his eyes refused to meet hers. Okay, this was just weird, like, way more than usual. Why was Sly so distant? Hadn't he been the one to ask her if she was free tonight? They both stood there as still as stone. Carmelita kept her gaze fixed on him; Sly kept his away from hers. After almost a minute of complete silence Carmelita finally spoke up.

"You umm, said you wanted to…show me something?"

She could see his body tense the moment she spoke. She swore she would hear his chest cave into itself with anxiety. She'd now met three new Sly Coopers in two days. The first one was the one who made her doubt herself, and the second was the one who showed her how good Sly really was. This Sly…this Sly freaked her out. This wasn't just not him; this was a weird and different person all together. Carmelita didn't know how to react, or how to feel, she just watched. Sly shifted his feet and looked down, his voice having gone quiet and insecure.

"Y-yeah…well, I did then…but, um…"

She narrowed her eyes. What game was he playing? This had to be a trick, didn't it? He didn't look at her, but she knew that he knew she was glaring at him. Sly refused to speak, so she had to for him.

"But? But what? What's going on Cooper, what is this?"

Sly said nothing. She KNEW it! Ah, the gall! How dare he waist her time like this, how dare he make her…FEEL this way. No, no that was it, he wasn't getting away with it this time.

"GRR, I should have known this was all just another prank. A stupid prank from a stupid kid!"

Sly still said nothing. Now she was pissed.

"That's it Cooper, no more games. You're showing me whatever it is you're hiding RIGHT NOW!"

Sly looked at her, his eyes a bit wider and filled with a regretful fear. That wasn't going to work, not on her, not after what he just pulled. Sly tried to sputter out some nonsense but she refused to let him.

"NOW COOPER, or I _will_ arrest you right here _right_ now! SHOW ME!"

Sly held his breath, and after swallowing his regrets, he sighed and slugged his shoulders.

"We, have to drive there…It's just outside of town."

He was defeated, why he was she didn't know, or care about at this point. She snarled a bit before forcing a pair of her shoes on and marching out the door toward the gangs' van. It had a half-ass cover-wrap on to try and make it not stand out, but Carmelita couldn't care less at this point. She waited by the passenger door until she heard the _click_ of the lock and threw open the door. She hopped in, almost throwing herself into the seat out of frustration, and slammed the door shut. Sly hadn't even walked around to the driver seat before was fuming in her seat, waiting impatiently for him to hurry up.

Sly lazily got in the van and started up the engine. He gave it a second to spin before throwing it into first gear and driving off. The ride was _extremely_ unpleasant. Sly did nothing but regret his choices and Carmelita did nothing but hate him AND herself. She let him trick her again into actually _feeling_ something for him. For a whole day she thought about what super-secret Sly was going to show her, only to be met with a pathetic, shaking weasel of a racoon who had the nerve to think he could just walk away. NOT. THIS. TIME!

* * *

Carmelita hadn't even noticed where she was until the van came to a stop. She glanced at the clock first; it had taken just about ten minutes, not like the drive hadn't felt like an eternity or anything. The entire time she had faced out the passenger window, not even paying attention to the world around her as she was to fixed on battling her emotions. The moment she turned to him, or rather, when she took a real look out the window, her thoughts and expression instantly went from ones of frustration and disgust, to one of shock and confusion.

 _Le Paris Cemetery_


End file.
